For the next few months, you may see messages from me, the chief executive of the Ōpōtiki District Council, as a replacement for regular columns from the mayor. This is because it is important that council remains (and is seen to remain) neutral in the lead up to the local government elections. There’s a little more on that below.  

Last week was a short but sharp reminder of how quickly flooding can impact our district and what that means for our roads, water and wastewater services, our power and communications. That we got through both the flooding, road closures and even a tsunami alert largely unscathed is a testament to a lot of mahi from a lot of people.  

The first thing to say is a big thank you – to the hard-working crews on the ground who worked long hours clearing roads, manning stop/go and restoring power.

Also, to council staff who quickly switched into civil defence roles and were out in the field or in the office co-ordinating, planning, and sharing information.

And, a real thank you to the community who showed such manaakitanga and whanaunatanga to our surprise guests when the road was closed.

Particular thanks to marae who opened their doors, employers who helped staff make alternative arrangements, friends and workmates who offered homes and hosted for the night. It was a community effort to be very proud of.

As these events illustrate, the best civil defence is all about being prepared.

Prepared as individuals, whānau, businesses and organisations, and together as “civil defence”.  

We will, of course, debrief after these events and make sure we learn what worked well and how we can do better next time. I’d also encourage you to take the time to do the same for you and your homes and workplaces. There is plenty of information online and our website is a good starting point or getready.govt.nz.

n Elections

In October this year, the Ōpōtiki community gets to vote for who they want leading council and the Coast Community Board. Nominations closed last week, and I was pleased to see more than 20 people offering to serve their community in these important roles.

Not to pat ourselves on the back too much, but we do usually have above-average voter turnout rates in the Ōpōtiki district compared to the rest of the country (last time it was almost 55 percent compared to the national average closer to 36 percent). It would be great if we can continue this trend and set a new record for voter turnout this year.

More nominations mean more choice and more community engagement in these important elections.

Please make sure you are enrolled and informed, ready to vote in the elections later this year.

A couple of important notes on that – central Government’s proposed changes to voting requirements wouldn’t be in effect in time for our local elections, so you can still make a special vote, right up until election day (although I wouldn’t recommend leaving it that late).

If you don’t receive your voting papers in September, don’t despair – you can probably still do a special vote and have your say.